“Remind me again…WHY can’t I have chocolate in my Easter basket???”

Most everybody knows that chocolate is not good for dogs.  But did you know that even a little bite of chocolate can be harmful?

Chocolate has an ingredient that can cause seizures, tremors, respiratory failure, cardiac arrest and even death.  The darker the chocolate the greater the danger.  Dark chocolates, baking chocolate, and dry cocoa powder are more dangerous than milk chocolate.  But even a small amount of milk chocolate could still be deadly.

If you think your dog got into the Easter chocolate, call your vet right away.   Don’t wait for warning signs, which can take 6 to 12 hours to show up.  Your vet may want you to induce vomiting or watch his behavior closely for symptoms like:

• Extra Thirsty
• Diarrhea
• Extra energy
• Pacing
• Panting
• Shaking
• Seizures

Vets usually treat chocolate poisoning with fluids and IV drugs to force vomiting, and with stomach pumping to flush the stomach with fluids, followed by medicines to prevent the chocolate from getting into the dog’s blood.

The stimulants in chocolate stay in the body for a long time and symptoms can last up to 72 hours.  Most dogs who have gotten sick from chocolate survive because of quick-acting owners.

So, please…keep an eye on the Easter baskets, the kids’ candy and the dogs this Easter weekend.

And keep the ASPCA’s 24-hour poison hotline number handy:  888-426-4435.